Kuina Lives On!
by St. Envy
Summary: Kuina's spirit lives within a girl named Kana, who lives on Shikyosama island, which is near deserted. Nami and Sanji can't stand her but Zoro and Kana get along well.. a little too well for something to not be going on
1. Meeting Kana

Prelude....

"Nami! When are we getting to the next island?!" Luffy called from the top of Merry's head. He was exited to get there and was bouncing in his seat with his famous ear-to-ear grin.

"Yeah, I want to check out the sword shop, mine are getting a little dull.." Zoro threw in. His swords were getting rusty and dull and his sword sharpener had disappeared.

"LAND HO!" Ussop had called from above in the crows nest, cross legged and with a foot long scope.

"That's when!" She called from her tangerine grove behind the kitchen. Nami was wearing her usual white tee-shirt with a horizontal stripe and orange skirt. Her and Sanji were picking tangerines, as usual.

Zoro, on the other hand, was a little shaky while the Going Merry got closer and closer to the shore of the island. He was trying his very best to cover up the fact he was jumpy. "Zoro!" Luffy suddenly shouted and Zoro jumped literally to his feet.

"Don't do that!" He snapped. Shakily he shouted to Nami from the side of the ship "Whats this Island called again?"

"Go get my map and look!" Nami had replied back

Zoro got up unsteadily and walked over to the table on the other side of the ship and read the name aloud "Shikyosawa island."

"Huh?! Whats that mean?" Luffy asked dumbly

"It means Death valley island... so if anyone screws up on this island you're dead. That's why I'm so paranoid.." Zoro stated..

"Well i don't wanna go to this island. It doesn't sound like any fun." Luffy frowned and crossed his arms

"Well sorry Luffy but if you want to go to the Grand Line we have to... Besides that we need supplies.." Dread overwhelmed Zoro's harsh aggressive voice and he was nervous... He had heard rumors that Hawkeyes Mihawk _lived _on Shikyosawa island and he hadn't prepared in almost a week.. _' I just hope the rumors aren't true.. at least until i get some better swords and i prepare a little bit... or a lot..'_Zoro thought uneasily _'Oh god here we go...' _

The Merry Go had hit land and the crew was off.. all except Nami, Sanji, and Zoro. "What's wrong with you mosshead?" Sanji commented, his usual cigarette in his mouth and his hands shoved in his pockets

"I have heard rumors that Mihawk lives here and i haven't practiced in a week.." Zoro said, uneasiness ran thru is voice.

"Well lets go Nami-chan.." Sanji helped her down off the merry go and they walked off the board walk onto the dreaded island.

As Nami had walked into the town she had managed to steal her way into almost a billion berries off of numerous pirates on the island. Little did she know there was someone with there eye on the huge bag of money and jewels.. a teenage girl to be exact. She stood five foot five inches and had a medium sized waist and for her age.. and hourglass figure..

"That bag of money will help me alot..." She whispered to herself, she had a gentle voice but an aggressive disposition. She started sneaking and hiding behind anything that was bigger than her."That bag looks like it has like a billion berries in it.." she thought out loud and Nami heard turning around she saw no one trailing her so she shrugged it off and continued walking

The teenage girl by the name of Kana, kept up the trail with Nami.. _'I won't get anywhere keeping this up all day.. time to strike.' _she pulled out her sword and before Nami could walk another step there was a sword in front of her neck... she tensed up and looked to where the sword came from.. "Ok princess, we can do this one of two ways, the easy way or the fun way.. your pick.." She said with a little bit of excitement in her voice...

Nami started to laugh.."You think I'm giving up berries and jewels to you? HA! I dont think so kid.." she put down the huge sack and whipped out her weapon while Kana got out her second sword.. Nami tensed up a little more.._'This kid reminds me of Zoro in a way..' _She thought with nervousness and before she knew it there was a huge gash in her leg with blood poring out.."How did you?" she looked up at a smirking Kana

"While you were standing there like an idiot.."she was smirking the same way Zoro always did... Nami got up and ran head on about to try to hit her and as she swong to smack her Kana held out her hand and caught Nami's weapon and swung her first sword and nearly cut her stomach open.. Nami screamed for help and Sanji came running to see her hurt badly..

"I-I cant hit a lady..." He said and he took one evil look at Kana and immediately thought _'She puts me in the mind of Mosshead.. except her hair and eyes..' _She had midback lengh purple hair with pink streaks and sparkling black eyes, her clothes were simple, a plain black tee with dark red pants...

"I respect you blondie, i can see you were raised high-class, very nice." She retorded"But the girl.. not so much, she's way to cocky." Kana ran towards the huge bag, grabbed it and ran..

"My money! It took me forever to get all that!" Nami was pissed beyond belief.

"Come on Nami-chan. You need Chopper to take a look at those wounds.."Sanji gently picked her up and carried her in the opposite direction of where Kana was running with the bag.

"My money! Sanji! Stop! I have to get my money back!"

A few minutes later...

"Ah! Call the doctor! Ah!!!" Chopper was freaking out as usual

"You are the doctor." everyone said in unison, except Nami who had passed out from blood lose..

"Who did this?" Zoro said pointing to Nami's injuries on her leg and stomach.

"I don't know, She's about Nami's height, Looked like an hour glass and kinda acts like you..." He explained as best as he could...

"You mean me?" She popped up from nowhere as Chopper was healing Nami as best as he could..

"You again!" Sanji gave her another evil look and the rest of the crew was confused

"Here's her money back.. or at least the part I didn't use..." She smirked and Threw the bag on the deck. The crew was shocked, when she smirked, she looked like her and Zoro were related somehow.

"What did you use part of the money for?" Zoro was kind of curious. She pulled out the brand new excellent grade sword she bought, that made sword number three she had...

"Lets see yours' Roronoa.." she said also with curiosity but Zoro was embarrassed to show anyone. He pulled out Wado first, because it was still in perfect condition. He handed it to Sanji to hold. Then he pulled out the other two which were rusty and dull. She walked over to then and got a can of sword polish and began polishing them of the rust. His jaw nearly dropped when she was polishing and the rust fell off the swords.

Then her sharpening block came out and she started to scrape the sword against to block.

"How did you know my name?" He questioned. She stopped sharping his sword and wretch in her pocket to a folded piece of paper and unfolded it and showed the front, it said "Wanted Roronoa Zoro.." with the amount of his bounty and a picture.

"I keep wanted posters of my favorite pirates for inspiration. Might help me along the way." She said with a gentle smirk


	2. Mischief on the Merry go

Zoro coughed in his hand and, if you look close enough, his cheeks turned red. "Anyway.." His eyes wandered off away from the girl."Why did you steal from Nami? How did you manage to?" He asked.

"Well it's like this." She started "I was minding my own business and all of a sudden I spotted Barbie, over there, walking around with this huge sack of money and I figure I can buy a new sword that I've had my eye on for a while now. So after I get the thing, I went home and counted it, And the sword I wanted was one-hundred-thousand berries." she explained and pulled out the coveted item so bought with the stolen money.

Zoro smiled a little and pulled out Wado and crossed It with her's"How about a practice battle? I need all the practice I can get right now." He pulled off the other swords and threw them on the ground, Kana did the same. "We use one sword."

She frowned. "Don't go easy on me because I'm a girl. I can handle anything you can throw at me." Kana drew out her second sword. As did Zoro

"Fine, I won't go easy but only because you told me to." The battle started and there swords clashed together. Kana attempted to slash Zoro's leg as she did to Nami, but he blocked with the second sword. _'Maybe I should have went with one sword.' _She broke free from his swords and tried to slash his stomach. With a quick reflexes he managed to dodge and take a harsh swing, cutting part of her bangs

All of a sudden, Kana vanished and an image of kuina emerged for a split second. His eyes got a little wide and he was frozen, only long enough for her to bring her sword down hard on his forehead, on its side so he wouldn't have a gash on his forehead. He managed to slash sideways and cut her side nearly open. She grinded her teeth in pain but continued to fight.

"Those two honestly act alike, they kinda act like siblings." Robin said, observing the intense battle of the marksmen. "But I will give her credit, no other person has made Zoro-san work at a battle like this."

It was true, Zoro was sweating and using all of his strengh. Unknown to the rest of the crew Kuina's spirit had been inhabiting the young girl since the day of her death, Kuina, now aged in spirit but because of Kana, her body was still only 14. Kana had been gifted, the price of allowing Kuina to live inside her, with her strengh, skill with swords, and partial looks, she resembled Kuina alot because of it.

"You-you're pretty strong to be 14, kid." Zoro claimed, This had all been a shock to him. "You're about as strong as one of my old friends, Kuina." He said.

"Thanks, you are too.. I've never had to work at a battle before." Both of there swords were crossed and they were pushing against each other, but they were going no where. Until she pushed as hard as she could and he lost his footing and fell over. When he looked up there was a sword hovering over his forehead. "You loose, again..." Kuina's voice emerged and the long purple hair turned blue. "Long time no see Zoro-kun.." Kuina smirked.

"Kuina... How can it be?" He was astonished to see her again but he looked around to see the rest of the crew had gone to eat lunch. He looked at her with a soft smile and pulled her into a hug,. to find out she was almost as tall as he was.

"I made a deal with Kana, If i can live in her body, I have to share almost everything with her." She explained as Zoro held her close..

"So does this mean that she..."

"I can only come out 2 times every 2 weeks so I'm not here to stay much.." She interrupted before he said it. A look of disappointment emerged. "Just be nice to Kana, there's no telling what she could do to me if you piss her off."

"Well you definitly gave her your skill with the sword.." he mumbled and released her from the hug. She just barely had to look up to see him.

"Is that why you have a red mark on your forehead?" She asked and smiled. The rest of Zoro's face turned red with embarrassment. Kuina giggled..

"How old are you, Kuina?" he asked

"14..."She replied

"How long have you been 14?" He needed to find out how old she really was, not how old her body was. She was hesitant to tell him. "How long have you been 14?" He repeated

"9 years..." She responded. "Mostly inside of Kana but for the first year in my older sister, Tashigi." His eyes went wide.

"I hate that woman. She gets on my last nerves." He said with extreme hate inside his voice

"Why?" She asked, this was all new to her. He met her sweet sister and yet he hates her? None of this made any sense to her.

"It's hard to explain. If we ever run into the navy you'll find out." He said, looking out into the deep blue deep within thought of what nearly happened a long time ago

_Flashback_

_"Why can't I beat you?" Zoro was frustrated beyond belief. How could she have been him 2001 times in a row? She had sat down, this was the longest battle they had ever had and her feet were hurting_

_"It's ok, I have just had a few extra years of experience than you, but don't worry. You will surpass me one day anyway"_

_"How do you know?" This got him curious as to what made her go to this conclusion. She looked down at the soon to be breasts she was growing, and looked back up at him_

_"Just a hunch.. since boys are stronger than girls after a while.." he walked towards her and sat down next to her. She put her head on his shoulder.. _

_"No matter what you say, you will be stronger than me because you have been doing this longer than me. I don't give a flip if you are a guy or a girl. You will be a great markswoman when you get older." _

_"You think so?" She asked looking up at him. Suddenly she took her head off his shoulder and leaned in closer, closing her eyes slowly and his were closing as well._

_"Kuina! Time for dinner!" Her father yelled from there house and Kuina and Zoro both jumped back._

_"Well.. See you tomorrow morning, bright and early." _

_End of flashback_

"Zoro!" Kuina yelled. Zoro jumped a little, his elbow on the side of the ship and his eyes were closed and opened quickly

"What it is, Kuina?" He was wondering what was wrong.

"I have to go..." A sad face was shown."I miss you.. Zoro.."

_When I see your smile  
Tears roll down my face I can't replace_

"I miss you to Kuina. I have kept Wado for you." He said handing her the sword, but she would take it._  
_

_And now that I'm strong I have figured out  
How this world turns cold and it breaks through my soul  
_  
"Its yours. Keep Wado for me. I just can't stay for much longer.."

_And I know I'll find deep inside me I can be the one  
I will never let you fall  
_

"Why won't Kana let you stay?" He asked furiously. It pissed him off that she couldnt even stay very long

_I'll stand up with you forever  
I'll be there for you through it all _

"If it was her choice I would be able to stay as long as I wanted." She said. Tears run down her face. Having to leave Zoro behind as she was prisoner in someone elses body

_Even if saving you sends me to heaven  
It's okay. It's okay. It's okay_

He hugged her tight. Those beautiful charcoal eyes full of tears killed him. He hated seeing his best friend cry, especially after all she's been through.._  
_

_Seasons are changing  
And waves are crashing_

"Zoro-kun.. I don't want to go, Kana doesn't either. She's trying to keep me from it, I can feel it..."_  
_

_And stars are falling all for us  
Days grow longer and nights grow shorter  
I can show you I'll be the one_

"Look, A falling star." Zoro pointed in the direction of the falling star. Kuina looked up and saw it. "Make a wish." They said in unison and closed their eyes.

_**' I wish I/she could stay as long as I/she wants.'**_they both had the same wish and opened their eyes._  
_

_I will never let you fall (let you fall)  
I'll stand up with you forever_

Zoro stood up and brought Kuina with him."How much longer can you stay?" Her hair was having a tint of purple. Kana was coming back but she didn't want to, none of the others did either. Unknowing what was going on around him. The crew was watching from the kitchen the whole time.

_I'll be there for you through it all_

Zoro hugged her as tight as he could, he felt his hard and muscular shoulder get a little damp. "Don't cry Kuina. We can see each other at least a little.."

_Even if saving you sends me to heaven  
_

"I know, but it's so hard to believe I finally found you again.. That night before we got separated..." She backed away a little but still in his arms. She leaned closer into him and their eyes closed..

_Cuz you're my, you're my, my, my true love, my whole heart_

..Their lips touched and for the first time ever, Zoro felt like he didn't have to worry so much and be so cold..._  
_

_Please don't throw that away  
Cuz I'm here for you  
Please don't walk away and  
Please tell me you'll stay whoa, stay whoa_

She pulled away and stepped back.. "Bye Zoro, see you next week. Remember, Be nice to Kana.."

_Use me as you will  
Pull my strings just for a thrill_

"I will, bye... Will you ever have your own body?"_  
_

_And I know I'll be okay  
Though my skies are turning gray_

"Soon, all I have to do Is defeat the worlds best swords-woman."_  
_

_I will never let you fall  
I'll stand up with you forever_

"Who's that?" He asked. Her hair was nearly its old purple and her eyes were dulling down.

"MY sister Tashigi." And Kana fell over either asleep or unconscious he couldn't tell..

_I'll be there for you through it all  
Even if saving you sends me to heaven_

"It will only be a matter of time..." He said "I will help Kuina get out of this kid and we can finally catch up on old times, and I can have a friend again."


	3. Kana: The Fallen Friend

The very next morning was very awkward. Zoro was so unsure if he should talk to Kana or avoid her until Kuina came back. It was a semi-normal morning except the fact that Kana was training with her swords instead of watching Zoro like normally. She noticed that Zoro was training as well and yelled to him "Hey, Zoro-kun! Do you want to battle?"

He looked over at Kana, a few changes had occurred and he was glad of, the pink in her hair had changed to dark blue and her voice had changed as well, It was a little deeper and the tone had changed. _'Kuina, when we run into the navy you will have your change to have your own body with your own age. I can't wait to see the look on the bitches face when she gets __beat by a kid.'_

"Sure, I'm up for a challenge." He implied smiling and walked to her with his practice sword.

"Ok, what are the rules?" she always asked for the rules before a battle, showing respect to him, because Kuina would kill her if she didn't.

"No hitting below the belt. No hitting the chest, um..." He stopped and thought for a moment "That's about it."

She raised up her practice sword and he raised his. The battle started and she was aiming for his knees because the last time they were using practice swords she left a bruise on the side of his left knee. She kept trying different places but he was able to block them all, so she tried a little strategy.

She aimed her practice sword, in a swinging motion to his knee and he blocked it but, unexpectedly, she faked him out, doing an uppercut, and slamed it into his side, then pulled back. He blocked the swing to his stomach and she used the second one to try to his his neck but he dogged and she took a chance and knocked one of his out of his hand and kept the other one from letting her hit him, And slammed it into his stomache, hard.

"That wasn't fair." Nami said with a little bit of anger in her voice" You can't do that."

"That was a pretty good shot, I'm gonna have to remember that next time we battle." He had one eye closed and gave a pain filled smile. She layed him down and started rubbing the spot she hit him. It was actually kinda soothing but Zoro felt a little uncomfortable and started squirming

"You're just jealous because I kicked your ass." She said to Nami, She was getting sick of her and was about to do worse to her than the first time.

"You didn't kick my ass, You caught me off gaurd."

"Whatever you say Barbie." Zoro starting snickering, and the snickering turned to laughing

"And what's that supposed to mean!?" She was beyond pissed off and Zoro was laying on the deck of the ship laughing harder than he ever had.

"It means you got your ass kicked by a 14 year old girl." she was snickering about it.

I mean, the thought of big bad Nami getting the hell beat out of her was kinda funny. Since Nami was over confident about what little strengh she had

"Fuck you." She said with anger and hate in her voice.

"No thanks, I'm not that way." Zoro had almost pissed himself laughing. He could almost be for sure that Kuina was talking for Kana because Kuina was so far the only one who could make him laugh that hard. Yeah, Luffy's antics made him chuckle a little sometimes but not bursting out laughing.

The wind began blowing suddenly and a Naval frigate pulled up next to the Going Merry.

"Roronoa Zoro! Hand over the sword!" Tashigi was on the side of the frigate and jumped over to their ship.

"Sorry, I don't have it." Zoro said smirking. This was Kuina's time and she finally emerged. It had been a week since anyone has seen her and they all missed her.

"Well who has it?!" She demanded to know, It was her duty as Master Chief Petty Officer Of The Navy to know. She wouldn't stand for anyone to have the sword but Zoro so she could pry it from him if necessary.

"That would be me, big sis." Kuina said and drew two swords. "And If you want it from me we will battle for it."

Tashigi turned around quick to find her little sister with two forbidden swords drawn.

"K-Kuina-chan. It can't be.. you.." tears ran down Tashigi's face as her baby sister ran to her for a hug.

"Oh yes it can, It's a long and complicated story but If I want my own body and out of this one. I need to defeat you, not kill you just get you down without you tripping all over the place.

Tashigi's face reddened a little. She had always been somewhat clumsy but she never wanted anyone to know how bad. Even as a little child she would trip over everything when Kuina was little as well.

"Battle me, shisuta!" Kuina held up Wado with dead seriousness in her voice. Tashigi held up her sword as well and the battle started.

Kuina tried out something she thought would work, slicing towards tashigi's stomach but said swordswoman jumped back, dodging the sharp edge.

_'Shit. It's not working Kana! What should I do?' _So Kuina kept trying diffrent things to do. She tried a fake out, a direct assault, and a backwards assault. Nothing was working. _'Let me try something.'_Kana replied to Kuina as she thought about what might work.

Kana, for a split second in the place of Kuina, in a slicing motion to tashigi's right knee Tashigi blocked it with her sword but Kana let go of her sword and grabbed it with her right hand and brought it up, snagging Tashigi's glasses and throwing them in the air and, with the flat side of the sword, brought it down hard, striking her major nerve in her forehead and Tashigi fell to the ground, unconscious.

"Kana! You did it!"Kuina screamed with exitement, now she would have her own body and not have to bum Kana for a body to inhabit.

All of a sudden Kana fell over unconscious as well and everyone ran over to her. "Kana, are you OK?" Zoro asked and picked her up a little, with her lower half still on the deck and the other half of her in Zoro's arms'. Her eyes opened a little

Her voice became softer "Zoro-kun. Time to say good-bye." She was slowly dying, the crew was unknowing of what was going on. Tear's were filling the eyes of the crew, all except Nami and Sanji. Who had a look of joy that Kana was dying

"Good-bye? What do you mean, good-bye?" He was confused as well.

"Maybe I can explain.." A ghostly voice said with an aura of light on Kana. The crew looked up to see a very translucent and beautiful redheaded woman. "You see, I gave Kana the choice of giving up her body or letting Kuina-chan pass on to the after life. And she chose to give her body up."

"What's wrong with Kana?" He was getting worried, after all, They had become good friends after a few days and he didn't want to loose another true friend of his.

"She is making room for Kuina." The woman said

"What's that supposed to mean?" Luffy asked. He hadn't said much in the past 2 weeks much, He had been lost in thought of what he saw on the Island they had escaped.

_'Flashback.'_

_"Next time you see Zoro, tell him I will meet him in Arabasta, He had better be prepared for our rematch, I'm not holding back next time." Mihawk said, in a thick french accent. He was serious. "Next time, I'm using this one only" holding his 6 foot sword. "So he needs all the practice he can get." _

_"Ok, I will tell him."_

_'End Flashback'_

"Well, she's dying and Kuina will be either be taking Kana's body or I can make her non transparent, Which ever she chooses."

Zoro's eyes widened and he held her tight. "Zoro-kun.. Don't worry about me. I knew this would happen. I've had fun being your friend.."

He looked down at her with worry, he was holding back tears. Not wanting the crew see him cry. "Kana.. Why? Why do you have to go?"

"So Kuina can use my body." Her eyes started closing until they were half open "Zoro-kun, I just want you to know, that you've been the only friend I have ever had besides Kuina.. I love you like the brother I always wanted."

"Kana.. You're my best friend. I don't want you to go.." Tears came but Zoro wiped them off as soon as they came.

"I don't want to go either." She started breathing heavily "But I will do anything for Kuina." She added. Her eyes were almost closed and she whispered as soft as she could so only Zoro could here. "I love you.."

With tear filled eyes Zoro put his hand over her eyes and closed his fingers.

"Good-bye." Luffy, Zoro, Chopper, and Usopp said in unison. Zoro removed his hand and her eyes were closed and she was motionless and limp. Zoro was close to tears but he forced them to not come out.

"Well, Now that she's done." The translucent woman said. She held out her hands and Kana's spirit lifted out of her body and to the afterlife immediatly. Tears came from the whole crew, even Nami and Sanji. "Kuina, Do you want your own body or Kana's?"

She looked over to Zoro, her spirit of what she was to look like as her true age, 21. "What do you think? Be 14 or 21?"

"It's your body not mine." He responded. Kana's body still lifeless in his arms. Then he thought about the cursed fruits, maybe if he got her to eat a special one and come back to life plus not be able to die... He hoped to god there was one like that.

"I want my own but I want to be 18." She said. The woman smiled and Kuina started glowing a bright white light. She got taller and curvier than her 14 year old self. She floated down to the deck of the ship and became solid. Her once super short blue hair had become super long and the dark red jeans she wore were now shorts, the black tank-top was now a short sleeved tee-shirt.


End file.
